Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
280. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if her Department requires primary schools to have an anti-discrimination policy; if so, the reason a school (details supplied) does not appear to either have such a policy or to implement it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24249/23]
View answerUnder the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 all schools are required to have in place a code of behaviour that accords with Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools as published by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), now referred to as the Educational Welfare Service (EWS). Each school is required to have an anti-bullying policy within its overall code of behaviour. The anti-bullying procedures are underpinned by this legal framework and all schools are required to comply with them.
Under the procedures, all school boards of management are required to adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy which fully complies with the requirements of these procedures. A template anti-bullying policy which must be used by all schools for this purpose is included in the procedures.
All schools are required to confirm in their anti-bullying policy that the school will, in accordance with its obligations under equality legislation, take all such steps that are reasonably practicable to prevent the harassment of pupils or staff on any of the nine grounds i.e. gender including transgender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.
In accordance with the Anti-Bullying Procedures, where a parent is not satisfied that a school has dealt with a bullying case in accordance with the procedures the parents must be referred, as appropriate to the schools complaints procedures. Where there is cause for complaint from a parent matters would normally be addressed to the individual teacher or school Principal as appropriate. If matters cannot be resolved at that level then a complaint can be addressed to the school’s Board of Management.
Anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools are available on the gov.ie website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/cb6966-anti-bullying-procedures-for-primary-and-post-primary-schools/.
The Department of Education’s Inspectorate conducts a programme of school evaluations in primary and post-primary schools. Inspectors evaluate aspects of the school’s work, including policies and procedures to support pupils’ well-being. Inspectors conduct checks to ensure that schools have implemented an anti-bullying policy and adhere to the requirements outlined in the anti-bullying procedures. All notified inspections conducted in schools contain anti-bullying checks.
